1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to amusement devices and games, and more specifically to bats, mallets, rackets, cues, pins and billies. In particular, the game of golf, golfer's tools, and ball position markers are addressed. The invention discloses a tool for carrying ball markers and for repairing ball marks on the green, which tool is adapted to be incorporated into the putter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The game of golf embodies a great number of customs and courtesies that are rigidly adhered to by the dedicated advocate. Many of the courtesies are designed to preserve the quality of the golf course for subsequent players, as it is well known that great maintenance is required to preserve the quality of the many acres that constitute a golf course. Other courtesies are designed to expedite play among members of a group.
The putting green is the most carefully maintained portion of the golf course, as on this surface the golfer executes carefully aimed and carefully stroked shots wherein the ball is in constant rolling contact with the putting green surface. Any unexpected irregularity on the green surface can disrupt an otherwise well executed shot. Golfers, therefore, expect that the green surface will be free of litter, gouges, and dents, and every player is expected to remedy any such irregularities that he has caused.
One common source of damage to the green is a ball mark, caused when a ball lands on the green at the termination of aerial flight from the fairway. One way of repairing a ball mark is to dig into the green with a small tool and "fluff" the dent created by the ball. If the player has a golf tee at hand, this may be employed to do the job. However, it is often the case that the player does not have a suitable tool at hand. As it is also the custom to leave the golf bag and cart at a distance from the green, again to preserve the smoothness of the surrounding turf, a player may leave his dent unrepaired for lack of suitable means to fluff the area.
Another common situation is that two or more players in a group will have their golf balls aligned along similar paths toward the hole on the putting green. The player furthest from the hole is required to putt first, for the reason that persons standing closer to the hole will, temporarily at least, disrupt the smoothness of the grass over which the further player's ball will travel. Accordingly, if a closer lying ball is in the path of the further ball, the closer ball is removed and marked with a flat marker such as a dime. This again creates a situation where the golfer must have a suitable marker at hand. Since many players are on a golf course at one time, each golfer is expected to play rapidly so that following groups will not be unduly delayed. Any deviation from the smooth play of the game can cause an undesirable delay. For this reason, it is quite important that the player have all necessary tools and markers immediately available to repair dents and mark ball locations without having to leave the putting green to obtain the necessary article from his golf bag or cart.
In the prior art, many persons have addressed the need for ball markers and have provided suitable carriers to enable these to be conveniently carried by the golfer. U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,802 to Ludwick provides a belt-mounted carrier for ball markers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,700,547 to Kraeling, 2,26l,959 to Buttikofer, and 2,178,872 to Engstrom provide for ball marker carriers that may be placed on the golf club, preferrably the putter, so that the markers will be available when the putter is in hand. U.S. Pat. No. 880,419 teaches a construction for a shaft-mounted disc dispenser especially adapted to hold coins and to be mounted on an umbrella handle, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,567,332 teaches a general purpose coin holder. Both of the latter patents relate to spring loaded disc dispensers.
The invention relates to an advance in the type of carriers known in the art, and provides a novel combined tool that both dispenses ball markers and is adapted to repair ball dents in the green.